Asian toad stowaway gets new home in South Africa

Saturday

Dec 22, 2012 at 12:01 AMDec 22, 2012 at 7:21 AM

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — They say cats have nine lives. Now a Chinese toad has joined that reputed club of wily survivors.

South Africans are marveling at the endurance of a toad that got trapped in a cargo shipment from China to Cape Town after jumping into a porcelain candlestick. South African officials planned to put down the creature from Asia fearing it would cause harm as an invasive species if it were let go in the wild.

But the toad got a last-minute reprieve. Mango Airlines, a South African airline, transported the toad on Friday to Johannesburg for delivery to an animal sanctuary after officials decided to find a way to let the itinerant toad live.

Airline spokesman Hein Keiser says the toad has become a celebrity.

It's nickname? Jack B Nimble.

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